Ingredients:

  • 250g Digestive Biscuits (or Graham Crackers)
  • 115g Unsalted Butter (Melted)
  • 50g Granulated Sugar (for crust)
  • 1/4 tsp Salt (for crust)
  • 900g Full-Fat Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
  • 300g Granulated Sugar (for filling)
  • 4 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
  • 1 Extra Egg Yolk
  • 120g Full Fat Sour Cream (Room Temperature)
  • 60ml Heavy Cream (35% or higher)
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Lemon Zest (Fine)
  • 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (Sifted)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Wrap the exterior base and sides of the 9-inch springform pan securely with 2-3 layers of heavy-duty foil to prevent water leakage.
  2. Make the Crust: Pulse biscuits/crackers into fine crumbs. Combine crumbs, 50g sugar, and salt. Drizzle in melted butter and mix until the texture resembles wet sand.
  3. Press the crust mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Create the Filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping down the sides frequently.
  5. Gradually beat in the 300g sugar until just combined and smooth. Beat in sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon zest until homogenous.
  6. Add eggs one at a time, mixing only until the yolk disappears after each addition. Stop mixing immediately once the last egg is incorporated to avoid incorporating excess air.
  7. Pour the batter over the chilled crust. Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
  8. Set up the Water Bath: Place the foil-wrapped springform pan inside a larger roasting pan. Place this setup onto the middle oven rack.
  9. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan (the bain-marie).
  10. Bake for 60-75 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centre (a 2-inch circle) should still have a slight wobble.
  11. Cooling Phase 1: Turn off the oven. Prop the oven door open a crack (using a wooden spoon handle) and allow the cheesecake to cool inside the turned-off oven for 1 hour.
  12. Cooling Phase 2: Remove from the water bath, remove the foil, and let it cool on a wire rack to room temperature (about 1 hour more).
  13. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours, or preferably overnight, before slicing and serving.